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Decision made over Snowdonia aeroplane scrapyard

The owners of Llanbedr Airfield in Snowdonia want to use the site for an aircraft maintenance and disassembly operation. Photo: ITV News Wales

A redundant airfield in one of the most rural parts of Wales is set to echo to the noise of jet engines again after Snowdonia National Park's planning authority granted consent to a firm which wants to dismantle decommissioned aircraft, possibly including airliners, on the landing strip at Llanbedr.

The development could provide up to 50 jobs within three years.

But, worried that the new plans would impact upon the National Park's landscape, the Snowdonia National Park Society had requested a full environmental report into the proposals.

Snowdonia residents are concerned the new plans for Llanbedr Airfield may spoil the area's natural beauty. Credit: ITV News Wales

Llanbedr Airfield was opened in the 1930s as a military facility. It had 130 staff when it closed down in 2004.

Plans for the airfield include the creation of an aircraft engineering and maintenance training school.

Ffestiniog, Llanfair, Harlech, Maentwrog, Talsarnau and Dyffryn Ardudwy and Talybont Community Councils have given their support for the project, and the Environment Agency has no objections.

Llanbedr Airfield in Snowdonia has been out of use since 2004. Credit: ITV News Wales

Scrap metal from the planes would either be crushed into bales or kept in larger segments and transported off-site.

The planning report states there would be between 8 and 12 aircraft parked at any one time on the airfield, but this could rise to 20 in certain circumstances.

The report also said that noise levels would be as expected as at any operational airfield- greatest when engines are being tested, or during take off and landing operations, estimated to be of 30 minutes duration.